GLASS 
=  CUP= 
PLATES 


By 

CHARLES  BURf^S 


i 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


\ 

https://archive.org/details/glasscupplatesguOOburn 


I 


Glass  Cup  Plates 

A  Guide  to  Collectors 

hy 

Charles  Burns 


First  Edition,  Illustrated 
Copyright  1921 

Published  by 

Burns  Antique  Shop 

912  Walnut  Street  ::  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


HE  aim  and  intention  of  this  work  is  to  furnish  those 
who  are  interested  in  the  subject  with  a  guide  to 
collecting  glass  cup  plates.  The  collecting  of  cup 
plates  always  was  an  alluring  subject,  and  is  now  difficult, 
as  they  are  no  longer  used  for  the  purpose  for  which  they 
were  made. 

The  practice  which  we  condemn  as  bad  etiquette  today 
was  in  good  repute  among  our  ancestors,  as  these  cup  plates 
abundantly  testify.  Great  Grandma  could  not  bear  to  have 
the  linen  stained  or  the  mahogany  marred,  so  when  tea  was 
poured  into  the  saucer  to  cool  the  cup  was  neatly  placed  in 
the  little  plate  provided  for  it. 

The  collectors  of  Old  Blue  China  were  delighted  when 
they  discovered  any  early  American  historical  subjects  on 
china  cup  plates,  which  were  mostly  made  in  Staffordshire, 
England,  for  the  American  market,  and  some  of  them  were 
worth  their  weight  in  gold.  I  have  been  collecting  antique 
china  and  glass  for  many  years  and  had  a  nice  lot  of  his- 
torical cup  plates  in  dark  blue  china. 

One  day,  while  on  a  quest  for  antiques  in  an  old  house 
in  South  Philadelphia,  in  looking  through  a  lot  of  glassware 
in  an  old  corner  cupboard,  I  found  a  stack  of  small  glass 
dishes. 

The  old  gentleman  to  whom  they  belonged  thought  they 
were  butter  plates;  all  he  could  remember  about  them  was 
that  they  belonged  to  his  wife's  mother.  As  they  had  stood 
on  that  shelf  for  many  years  they  were  almost  black  with 
the  accumulation  of  dust;  so  took  them  to  the  kitchen  sink 
and  found  that  they  had  historical  designs  impressed  in  them 
and  proved  to  be  glass  cup  plates;  so  purchased  them  and 
laid  them  aside. 

Later  while  rummaging  in  an  old  garret  I  found  some 
more,  of  a  different  design;  so  decided  to  make  a  collection 
of  them.  For  a  long  time  I  had  no  competition.  All  the 
dealers  saved  them  for  me  at  my  own  appraisement,  but  at 
present  there  are  many  collectors  of  them.     I  have  been 


asked  so  many  times  how  many  varieties  there  are,  so  decided 
to  publish  this  book. 

There  are  over  forty  different  historical  designs  known, 
and  still  others  being  found;  many  are  in  colors;  some  in 
amber,  blue,  green  and  opalescent,  and  a  large  variety  of 
conventionals,  showing  wonderful  skill  on  the  part  of  the 
engravers.  Among  them  are  some  very  interesting  specimens, 
such  as  the  anchor,  harp,  lyre,  butterfly,  valentine  and  sev- 
eral different  impressions  of  the  thirteen  hearts,  representing 
the  thirteen  States. 

The  late  Dr.  Edwin  Atlee  Barber  in  writing  on  American 
glass  says  that  glass  cup  plates  were  probably  made  in  Eng- 
land, but  we  have  found  since  that  these  cup  plates  were  made 
by  the  Boston  and  Sandwich  Company,  Sandwich,  Massachu- 
setts. 

The  manufacture  of  glass  by  means  of  metal  molds  was 
practiced  to  some  extent  in  England  ^nd  AmBrica  as  early  as 
1834.  The  idea  of  pressing  the  molten  glass  into  the  required 
shape  by  means  of  a  metal  core  or  plunger  was  suggested  by 
a  carpenter  in  Sandwich,  Massachusetts,  and  taken  up  by  the 
New  England  Glass  Company  with  successful  results.  They 
sent  a  specimen  of  this  pressed  glass  to  Paris  for  the  Exposi- 
tion and  received  first  prize  on  it. 

The  clear  and  brilliant  impressions  are  the  earliest  and 
best  specimens.  When  the  glass  is  very  dull  and  has  a  greasy 
appearance  they  come  from  a  very  old  or  a  remade  mould. 

In  illustrating  these  plates  have  made  impressions  in 
plaster  of  paris  to  bring  out  the  details,  as  it  is  almost  im- 
possible to  photograph  glass  and  get  the  details.  Most  of  these 
plates  have  a  scallop  on  the  outer  edge,  which  can  be  seen  in 
figure  No.  1.  The  size  of  these  plates  vary  from  three  to 
three  and  three-quarter  inches.  All  numbers  that  have  an 
A  following  same  are  of  the  same  design  as  preceding  one 
with  same  number,  but  of  a  slight  variation. 

The  author  desires  to  record  his  thanks  to  Mr.  A.  H. 
Scott,  Rose  Valley,  Pennsylvania,  and  Mr.  Overholtzer,  Norris- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  for  the  courtesy  of  letting  him  take 
impressions  of  some  of  the  specimens  he  disposed  of  to  them. 


Figure  1 

CLERMONT,  FULTON  STEAMBOAT 

As  early  as  1793  Fulton  began  his  attention  to  the 
subject  of  steam  navigation. 

In  1803  he  launched  a  steamboat  on  the  Seine,  Paris, 
which  immediately  sank,  owing  to  faulty  construction  of 
the  frame.  A  new  boat  was  built  with  the  old  machinery, 
which  made  a  successful  trip  on  the  Seine  August  9th, 
1803,  but  attained  no  great  speed. 

Returning  to  the  United  States,  Fulton  resumed  his 
experiments  there  and  finally  the  Clermont  steamed  up  the 
Hudson  from  New  York  to  Albany,  August  11th,  1807, 
making  the  voyage  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  thirty- 
two  hours. 

This  is  a  rare  plate,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  2 
MAJOR  SAMUEL  RINGOLD 

The  Mexican  war  hero,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Palo  Alto. 

Very  rare  plate,  SV2  inches. 
Figure  3 

BEFORE  AND  AFTER  MARRIAGE 
A  satire  on  marriage. 

Rare  plate,  ^V2  inches. 

Figure  4 

FRIGATE  CONSTITUTION 
or 

OLD  IRON  SIDES 
The  old  reliable  carried  forty-four  guns,  commanded 
by  Captain  Isaac  Hull  in  the  War  of  1812. 

Rare  plate,  3%  inches. 

Figure  5 
GEORGE  WASHINGTON 
The  father  of  our  country. 

Born  in  Westmoreland  Co.,  Virginia,  February  22d, 
1732;  died  December  14th,  1799. 

Rarest  plate  known,  3%  inches. 


Figure  6 
FORT  PITT  EAGLE 

To  commemorate  the  fall  of  Fort  Duquesne,  1758. 

On  the  advance  of  Washington  and  his  Virginians,  the 
garrison  set  fire  to  the  fort  and  fled.  The  flames  were 
extinguished  and  the  name  of  the  fortress  was  changed 
to  Fort  Pitt. 

Very  rare,  3%  inches. 

Figure  7 
SMALL  EAGLE 
Scarce,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  8 
LARGE  EAGLE 
Scarce,  3  inches. 

Figure  9 

LARGE  EAGLE,  1831 

Commemorating  the  boundary  line  between  United 
States  and  Canada. 

Not  rare,  SV^  inches. 

Figure  10 
SMALL  EAGLE 
Common,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  11 
LARGE  EAGLE,  SMALL  PLATE 
Scarce,  3  inches 

Figure  12 
LARGE  EAGLE 
SV2  inches. 

Figure  13  and  13-A 

LARGE  EAGLE 

There  are  two  varieties  of  this  one.  The  bead  on  the 
outer  border  is  a  trifle  closer  on  one  than  on  the  other. 


Figure  14 
LARGE  EAGLE 
Rare,  3^/4  inches. 

Figure  15 
BEE  HIVE 

This  represents  industry  and  used  during  the  cam- 
paign of  1840. 

Scarce,  3  inches. 

Figure  16 
LOG  CABIN 

Log  Cabin  was  a  paper  published  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Whig  State  Committee  of  New  York.  Horace 
Greeley  was  Editor  of  same.  The  popular  election  passed 
off  in  November,  1840,  amid  the  vocal  din  of  Whig  Log 
Cabin  songs,  interlined  with  something  about  hard  cider 
and  Harrison's  latch  string  always  hanging  outside  of 
the  door. 

3^  inches. 

Figure  17 
HOUND 
Rare,  3^  inches. 

Figure  18 
BEE  HIVE 
Rare,  3  inches. 

Figure  19 
HENRY  CLAY 

Facing  right. 

Very  rare,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  20 
HENRY  CLAY 

Facing  left. 

Plentiful,  SV2  inches. 


Figure  21 

MAJOR  RINGOLD 

Rare,  3^  inches. 

The  only  difference  in  this  Ringold  is  that  the  print 
is  smaller. 

Figure  22 
HENRY  CLAY 

No  printing. 

Rare,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  23 
HENRY  CLAY 

Five  Stars. 

Henry  Clay  was  born  in  Virginia,  near  Richmond, 
April  12,  1777. 

He  was  elected  to  the  National  Senate  with  the  re- 
markable record  of  thirteen  years  as  Speaker  of  the  House. 

He  died  on  June  29th,  1852,  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
SV2  inches. 

Figure  24 
W.  H.  HARRISON 
Born  at  Berkely,  Virginia,  February  9th,  1773. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  April  4th,  1841. 
SV2  inches. 

Figure  24-A 
There  are  two  varieties. 
Same  as  24. 

President  and  date  omitted. 

Figure  25 
SHIP  CHANCELLOR  LIVINGSTON 
Robert  R.  Livingston,  Chancellor  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  1777  to  1801. 

He  was  one  of  the  committee  of  five  in  the  drafting 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

Later  on  in  life  he  associated  with  Robert  Fulton  in 
the  steamboat  enterprises. 

SV2  inches. 

Figure  26 
SHIP  CHANCELLOR  LIVINGSTON 
Same  as  above,  but  difference  in  the  ropes. 
SV2  inches. 


Figure  27 
CADMUS 

The  ship  which  brought  Lafayette  to  this  country  as 
a  guest  in  1824. 

It  was  fitted  up  by  a  patriotic  American  merchant, 
who  placed  it  at  the  General's  disposal. 

Not  rare,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  28 
SHIP  CHANCELLOR  LIVINGSTON 
Note  the  difference. 
There  are  waves  instead  of  stripple. 

Rare,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  29 
BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  SHIP 

Benjamin  Franklin  was  born  in  Boston,  January  17, 
1706,  and  died  in  Philadelphia,  April  17,  1790. 

The  originality  and  force  of  Franklin's  intellect  ap- 
peared in  youthful  publications,  one  of  which  was  "Poor 
Richard's  Almanac,''  which  became  widely  known  for  its 
wise  proverbs. 

It  was  entirely  fitting  that  to  his  wisdom  should  have 
been  confided  mainly  the  negotiation  of  the  memorial  treaty 
by  which  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America 
received  complete  though  sullen  recognition  on  the  part  of 
England. 

SV2  inches. 

Figure  30 
BRIDGE,  NIAGARA 

Called  ^'Maid  of  the  Mist." 
3^  inches. 

Figure  31 
BUNKER  HILL  MONUMENT 
It  commemorates  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  in  which 
General  Warren  fell,  sixty-eight  years  after  the  corner- 
stone was  laid  by  General  Lafayette  in  1825  and  unveiled 
by  Daniel  Webster. 

Not  rare,  3%  inches. 

Figure  32 
BUNKER  HILL  MONUMENT 
Not  rare,  SV2  inches. 


Figure  33 
LOG  CABIN 
Rare,  3  inches. 

Figure  34 
BUNKER  HILL  MONUMENT 

Rare. 

Figure  34-A 
BUNKER  HILL  MONUMENT 

No  stars. 

Figure  35 
LOG  CABIN 

Figure  35-A 
LOG  CABIN 
Acorn  border. 
Rare,  SV2  inches. 

Figure  36 
FORT  MEIGS  AND  TIPPECANOE 
This  was  the  campaign  slogan  of  General  Harrison's 
campaign.  One  of  the  most  desperate  battles  ever  fought 
with  the  Indians,  in  which  General  Harrison  was  highly 
honored  by  the  Territory  of  Indiana  and  State  of  Kentucky 
at  Fort  Meigs. 

Rare,  3%  inches. 


NOT  ILLUSTRATED 

No.  37.  Anchor. 

No.  38.  Lyre. 

No.  39.  Harp. 

No.  40.  Valentine. 

No.  41.  Butterfly. 

No.  42.    Thirteen  Hearts. 

No.  43.  Thistle. 

As  soon  as  other  historical  cup  plates  are  found  there 
will  be  another  supplement  issued. 

You  will  be  able  to  secure  same  by  writing  to  the 
author, 

CHARLES  BURNS, 
912  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 


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